Calgary land sales aim to boost affordable housing inventory

The city is setting aside five Calgary sites for new affordable housing, and the federal government is chipping in $48.5 million to help.

Around three per cent of Calgary’s housing stock is non-market housing, putting it about 15,000 units behind the national average for urban centres. Mayor Naheed Nenshi said Tuesday that the land sales are a step toward filling the gap, but there’s still a long way to go.

“What is required is for us to have a real shift in our thinking about ways in which we involve the non-profit sector, the market and government together to get these housing units on board,” he said.

“I love cutting ribbons … but when we cut ribbons on a 30, 40 or 100-unit place, I always remember that we have to build 15,000.”

The city is selling land it owns in Saddleridge, Highland Park, Banff Trail, Capitol Hill and Seton to affordable housing non-profits, who will build and manage the new housing. Nenshi said the sales are expected to create up to 200 new affordable housing units.

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Agencies can apply to buy the land, which will be sold below the market rate, until late March. They’ll also qualify to get funding the federal government is offering as part of the National Housing Strategy.

Calgary also sold land to non-profits to build housing in 2017, which led to more than 160 new affordable units.

Nenshi said the approach helps to build new homes quickly.

“It’s cold outside, and this is a good reminder for us that the need for action has never been more clear,” he said.

“Every single person living in a community with this kind of prosperity, with this kind of development, deserves to be warm. Every single person living here deserves to have the safety and security of knowing where they’re going.”

The city expects developing the new housing will create 435 jobs in Calgary.

More to come…

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